5 Quick, Healthy And Cheap Breakfast Ideas

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it can be a little tricky to make good choices at that meal.

If eating healthy foods isn't a concern, cheap breakfasts are pretty easy to come by.  And if quick isn't a concern, a healthy, cheap breakfast isn't a problem.  But when you're looking for healthy, cheap, AND quick, things get a little tough.

So, here are some breakfast ideas that meet all three of those criteria.

1. Smoothies

If you've got a blender, you can whip up one of these in minutes.  Simply combine yogurt, milk, or water with your favorite frozen fruit, and blend. Frozen fruit is always in season and comes peeled, cored and sliced! Throw in a banana (fresh or frozen) for an extra dose of sweetness.

2. Eggs

If your mornings are super-rushed, hard-boil some eggs ahead of time.  That way, even if you haven't got time to eat at home, you can grab a few on your way out the door.

If you have a few more minutes, you've got time to scramble them up.  To save time in the morning, you can even whisk them together the night before and then in the morning, you can pour them into a hot pan, add salt, pepper and a dash of cream, and cook them for just a few minutes (throw in a handful of spinach for nutritional bonus points).

3. Oatmeal (in the microwave, but not in a packet)

Though packets of oatmeal aren't especially frugal, large canisters of oatmeal cost just pennies per serving, and if you use the microwave, you can prep plain oats in a flash.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine 1/3 cup oats, 3/4 cup water, and a dash of salt (plus any spices you prefer, like cinnamon). Microwave 2-3 minutes, depending on how quickly your microwave cooks. Stir in sweetener and milk or cream to taste.  For a special treat, stir in frozen berries or other fruit.  My favorite combo is oatmeal with cinnamon, brown sugar, cream and frozen peaches.

4. Yogurt

Individual cups are handy, but you'll save more money if you buy a large container of plain or vanilla yogurt.  Scoop it into a bowl, stir in fresh or frozen fruit, and sprinkle with purchased granola.

5. Home-Frozen Waffles or Pancakes

Whipping these up isn't likely to fit on your weekday morning schedule, but when you make a weekend batch of pancakes or waffles, make extras and freeze them.  On busy mornings, you or the kids can just pop them into the toaster.  They'll be cheaper than the ones in the freezer aisle and healthier too, since you can make them without odd ingredients or preservatives.

Work some of these ideas into your routine and you'll find you can eat quick, healthy and cheap at breakfast.


About The Author:

Kristen is a wife, mom, the face behind The Frugal Girl website and a contributor to the CareOne Debt Relief Services blog, a provider of debt consolidation in California.

Image Credit:
♔ Georgie R